FOOD STORAGE TIPS & TRICKS

So you’ve made the conscious choice to buy local & organic produce from us? We are thrilled! Everything we grow is picked fresh and delivered direct to you by us, and our hope is that you can truly taste and feel the difference.

We thought it would be useful to share just a few simple tips and tricks that will help you keep your produce fresh and delicious for longer. Proper food storage is easiest to remember by keeping 3 things in mind: Moisture control, temperature control, and isolation.

Moisture control

Tired of soggy lettuce or wilted herbs?

Keeping produce dry while storing, and washing right before you put them to use in your kitchen is an easy rule of thumb to keep in mind.

Things that easily get soggy like spinach, lettuce, or herbs are best kept sealed air tight in a container inside the fridge. Secondly, wrapping them in a paper towel is key to absorbing any excess moisture to allow those leaves to go the extra mile. If you don’t have a sealed container handy, store in a plastic bag with a paper towel and a little air inside to keep leaves from bruising.

Bread should be wrapped in a cloth bag and stored away from sunlight out of the fridge.

Temperature control

Maintaining a consistent and precise temperature is key to making sure your food is lasting its longest. The standard used in restaurants and other professional industries for the refrigerator is 37° F. Keeping your home refrigerator between 35° F – 38° F will ensure your produce will last the longest.

For the freezer anything below freezing 0°F will do just the trick.

Some items that are great for freezing include:

- Fruit (washed & chopped)

- Bread

- herbs (check out our single serve herb cubes recipe)

Isolation

There are a few things to keep isolated from each other because certain vegetables and fruits release more ethylene, a chemical that allows them to ripen, than others.

- FRUITS / VEGETABLES

A general rule of thumb is to keep vegetables and fruits in different storage compartments in the fridge. This is because fruits tend to release more ethylene than vegetables so keeping them seperate is important.

- ONIONS / POTATOES

Although both onions and potatoes need similar conditions for storage which include dry, moisture free, and away from sunlight, they should be kept in separate containers or baskets to avoid faster spoilage.

- BANANAS

Bananas produce a large amount of ethylene, a natural gas that accelerates ripening, and should be stored outside the refrigerator separate from everything else.